The Trace recognized Washington State’s achievement in passing House Bill 1501, now known as the Law Enforcement and Victim Safety Act:

“Thousands of times each year in the United States, someone convicted of domestic abuse or subject to an active restraining order seeks to illegally purchase a gun from a licensed dealer — usually, without any consequences. On July 23, Washington will become the first state to require authorities to notify victims when such an attempted sale takes place. The measure is part of a sweeping new law that seeks to crack down on all prohibited purchasers who attempt to buy firearms in the state, a practice known as “lie and try.”

“Giving survivors of domestic violence the option to be notified if an abuser attempts to illegally purchase a gun allows them to more accurately plan for their own safety and the safety of those closest to them,” said Tamaso Johnson, the public policy director for the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.”

Read more at The Trace.